Former Irish international goalkeeper Alan Kelly senior has died.
The 72-year-old had battled cancer over the last number of years and passed away earlier today.
Born in Bray in 1936 he became one of the most respected goalkeepers of his generation.
One of his sons, Alan Kelly junior, is the current Republic of Ireland goalkeeping coach to the senior team and was capped for Ireland 34 times. His son Gary also continued the family goalkeeping tradition, playing as a professional for Oldham.
Kelly was capped 47 times by Ireland between 1958 and 1973 and captained his country for a 1972 World Cup qualifier against the Soviet Union. He also managed Ireland in 1980 for a home game against Switzerland.
Kelly began his career at Bray Wanderers before moving to Drumcondra, where he won an FAI Cup in 1957 and a league title in 1958. He moved to Preston North End in 1960 and went on to make a club record 513 appearances in 14 years.
He also managed Preston from 1983-85. He subsequently coached at Everton before moving to Washington DC and beginning a coaching career in the States. In the later part of his life he lived in Maryland.
A stand at Preston North End's home ground - the Alan Kelly Town End - is named after him and he was also Honorary Life President at Bray.
Paying tribute, FAI President David Blood said: ‘Alan Kelly senior was a former record caps holder and a great servant to Irish football.
'He started his playing career in the League of Ireland before moving to Preston North End where he made a club record 513 appearances and became a legend at Deepdale where the Town End was named in his honour in 2001.
‘With the passing of Alan Kelly senior, we have lost one of Ireland’s greatest ever goalkeepers.’
John Delaney Chief Executive Officer of the FAI said: 'Alan Kelly senior will be sadly missed by everyone here in the FAI and by all followers of Irish football.
'He was a stalwart of the Irish team during the 1960s and will always be remembered as one of our greatest ever goalkeepers, a man who wore the Irish jersey with pride and always served his country with distinction.'
